Refrigeration



y 1942- E. L. SCHELLENS 'ET'AL 2,289,078

REFRIGERATION Original Filed Aug. 13, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS F7 M of BY JJ a /mw/ m ATTORNEY.

July 7, 1942. E. SCHELLENS ETAL 2,289,078

REFRIGERATION Original Filed Aug. 15, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 @fiNTORS 1 2 2. BY w o'rvflw WATTORNEY.

u y 1942- E. L. SCHELLENS ETAL 2,289,078

REFRIGERATION Original Filed Aug. 13, 1935 Sheets- 116 4 VENTORS 29 BY zfwji w w /m4 wi ATTORNEY.

July 7, 1942.

E. L. SCHELLENS ETAL REFRIGERATION 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Aug. 13, 1935 %;ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED REFRIGERATION Eugene L. Schellens, Ridgewood, N. 1., and William I. Hamby, Great-Neck, N. Y., assignors to Serve], Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application August 13, 1935, Serial No. 35,924. Divided and this application April 29, 1938, Serial No. 204,948

4 Claims.

This is a division of our copending application Serial No. 35,924, filed August 13, 1935, now Patent No. 2,134,149, issued Oct. 25, 1938, for Re frigeration.

This invention relates to refrigerators and it is an object of the invention to provide a refrigerator of improved appearance, operation, and utility as will appear upon consideration of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and of which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a refrigerator embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a more or less diagrammatic view of an absorption refrigeration apparatus for the refrigerator Fig. 3 is a top view of the refrigerator shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the refrigerator;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 in Fig. a;

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken'on line t-t in Figs. 4 and 7;

Fig. "I is a section taken on line 5-7 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 in Fig. '6; and

Fig. 9 is a detail sectiontaken on line 9-9 in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 1, a refrigerator it has a thermally insulated storage compartment ll accessible by means of a door H. The outer surface of the door 52 is flush with the outer surface of the front of the cabinet ill and is hinged to the cabinet on one side by means of concealed hinges. The door it is provided with a concealed latch on the free side opposite the of the type disclosed in-Patent 1,609,334 to von- Piaten et al. The particular system shown in Fig. 2 comprises a generator M, a.first condenser section it, a second condenser section 11, an evaporator 88, and an absorber i9. orator I 8 and the absorber l9 are interconnected for circulation of gas therebetween by means including a gas heat exchanger 20. The generator it and the absorber is are interconnected for circulation of liquid therebetween by means including an analyzer 2i and a liquid heat exchanger 22. The generator i4 is connected for flow of vapor therefrom to the condensing sections 16 and H by means including the analyzer 2|, an air-cooled rectifier 23, and a liquid cooled rectifier 24. The condenser sections 98 and I! are provided with heat transfer fins for cooling by air. The absorber i9 is cooled by heat transfer to air through a fluid heat transfer circuit including a coil 25 arranged in ,thermal conductive relation with the absorber i9 sorption liquid such as water. The solution, for

instance, a thirty per cent solution of ammonia in water, may be introduced into the system through a suitable charging plug (not shown) in the lower part of the absorber it. A suitable inert pressure equalizing gas, such as hydrogen, is then introduced into the system at a pressure corresponding to that in which ammonia condenses at a fairly high room temperature as, for instance, i00 F. The generator i is suitably heated as, for instance, by a gas burner 2i arranged so that the burner flame is projected into a flue 28. Operation of the burner may be automatically controlled by a thermostatically operated valve l 5 in the burner supply line. The valve operating thermostat shown in Fig. 2 is of an expansible fluid type and the sensitive bulb i5a is located adjacent the evaporator it.

In operation'of the refrigeration system, ammonia vapor expelled from solution by heat in the generator M flows from the upper end of The evapthe generator stand-pipe 29 through a conduit 3% into the analyzer 2!, where the vapor bubbles upwardly through enriched absorption liquid. From the analyzer 2!, ammonia vapor flows in conduit 3! through the air-cooled or high temperature rectifier 2t and the lower temperature or liquid cooled rectifier 26 to the first condenser section 06. Liquid ammonia formed by condensation in the condenser section it flows through a conduit 32 into the rectifier 2t and thence overflows through a conduit 33 into the upperend of the coil pipe evaporator it. .Ammonia vapor which may not have been condensed in the first condenser section it passes through conduit 32, the upper part of the rectifier 2d, and a conduit 55% into the second condenser section ll; Liquid ammonia formed by condensation in the condenser section ll flows through conduit 35 and conduit 33 into the evaporator l8.

, In the evaporator E8, the liquid ammonia flows downwardly, evaporating and diffusing into hydrogen which enters the lower part of the evaporator through a conduit 36. The resulting gas mixture flows from the upper end of the evaporator I8 through a conduit 31, the inner passage 38 of the gas heat exchanger 29, and conduit 99 into the absorber 19. In the absorber, ammonia is absorbed out of the gas mixture into weakened absorption liquid which enters the upper part of the absorber through a conduit 48. The weak gas flows from the absorber through a conduit 4|, the outer passage 42 of the gas heat exchanger 20, and conduit 86 to the evaporator I8.

Enriched absorption liquid flows from the lower part of the absorber 19 through a conduit 49, the outer passage 44 of the liquid heat exchanger 22, a conduit 45, the analyzer 2|, and a conduit 46 to a chamber 41 in the generator i4. The enriched absorption liquid is raised by thermosyphon action from the chamber 41 through a conduit 48 into the upper part of the generator stand-pipe 29. The lower end of the generator stand-pipe 29 is connected to a chamber 49 of the generator from which weakened absorption liquid flows through a conduit 50, the inner passage of the liquid heat exchanger 22, and the conduit 40 into the upper part of the absorber [9.

The lower end of the condenser section I1 is connected by means of a conduit 52 to a vessel 53, commonly referred to as a pressure vessel, which is coimected by means of a conduit 54 to the absorber I9. By means of this path of flow from the condenser to the absorber, non-condensible hydrogen is conducted to the gas circuit instead of becoming trapped after passage through the condenser. The vessel 53 provides storage space for hydrogen which is displaced by uncondensed ammonia vapor and forced into the gas circuit, thus raising the total pressure in the system on increase in air temperature beyond that for which the system was initially charged.

The manner in which the above described refrigeration apparatus is arranged and located in the refrigerator may be seen in Figs. 4 and 5 and thesucceeding detail figures. In these figures, the same parts of the apparatus are numbered the same as in Fig. 2. The generator I4, analyzer 2|, and liquid heat exchanger 22 are encased in thermal insulation material 55, indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 2 and in solid outline in Figs. 4 and 5. The refrigerator iii, in addition to the thermally insulated storage compartment H, is provided with an apparatus compartment having a horizontal portion 58 in the lower part of the refrigerator, and a communicating upright portion 51 in the rear of the refrigerator. Additionally. the upper part of the refrigerator is formed to provide two horizontal compartments 58 and 59 along the top side edges of the refrigerator and extending forwardly from the upper end of the rear compartment 51. The outer casing of the refrigerator is constructed to provide a linear opening 60 extending horizontally around the upper part of the refrigerator on the two sides and the rear, and at the bottom of the upper compartments 58 and 59.

As may be seen in Fig. 3. the top of the refrigerator is provided with a generally U-shaped or horseshoe shaped lineal opening 6 I. The sides or legs of the opening 8| overlie the compartments E8 and 59, and the cross portion of the top opening 61 overlies the upper end of the rear apparatus compartment 51. It will now be understood that air may enter the side opening 58 and flow upwardly through compartments 58 and 59 and the upper part of compartment 51, leaving the top of these compartments through the opening 5|. The first condenser section [6 is located generally horizontally in the top compartment 59 and arranged therein at an angle so that its heat transfer fins extend across the path of air flow upwardly through the compartment 59. The condenser section I1 is generally L-shaped, having two portions Na and HD generally perpendicular to each other. The portion l1a is located in the upper end of the rear apparatus compartment chamber 51, and the portion |1b is arranged similarly to the first condenser section l6, but in the top compartment 58 on the opposite side of the refrigerator from the condenser section 16 in the top compartment 59. It will now be understood that air entering the side opening 60 flows upwardly in thermal contact with the condenser sections 18 and I1 and then out through the top air outlet opening 6|. It will be seen that the condenser, comprising sections [6 and I1, is generally U- shaped or horseshoe shaped.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4 and 6 to 9, the refrigerator storage compartment H is outlined by what is usually referred to as a liner 52, enclosed by thermal insulation material 63. The liner 62 is generally rectangular, and may be formed of sheet metal which is porcelained on the interior to provide sanitary walls for the storage compartment. The upper parts of the side walls formed by the liner B2 are inclined slightly inwardly. This angular structure of the storage compartment at the top of the refrigerator permits of the previously described condenser compartments 58 and 59 in the outer side edges at the top of the refrigerator and within the generally rectangular contour of the refrigerator. The top of the storage compartment II is closed at the front by what may be termed a shield plate 64, which is provided with two rectangular openings and 6B. The shield plate 64 is preferably porcelained on its outer surface and presents the same appearance and cleanliness as the interior of the storage compartment formed by the liner 52.

The cooling element or evaporator coil I8 is located in the upper part of the refrigerator storage compartment H and behind the shield plate 64, which conceals the cooling element from view. The lower part of the evaporator coil 18 is located horizontally between, and in contact with, two generally similar receptacles 51 and 68. The receptacle 69 may be provided with a partition or shelf 69. The receptacles 61 and 58 are open at their forward ends and in alignment with the openings 65 and 66 in the shield plate 64. It will now be understood that the receptacles 61 and 68 form freezing compartments and are for the purpose of receiving ice freezing trays or the like. The front ends of these trays may be seen in Fig. 1. Two ordinary size trays I0 and 11 may be placed in the receptacle 68 which is provided with the intermediate partition or shelf 59 and a double size tray 12 for frozen desserts or the like may be placed in the left hand receptacle 61.

Around the outside of each of the receptacles 61 and 68 and in spaced relation thereto are placed metal casings 13 and 14. A larger upper loop [8b of the evaporator coil is located within the casings 13 and 14 and in thermal contact therewith. The top surfaces of the casings 13 and 14 are sloped downwardly toward the opening 15 in the middle of the lower part of the evaporator coil l8. These sloping surfaces are corrugated to form finned heat transfer surfaces 16 and 11. An annular casing or sleeve 18 is placed inside of the coil 3. An annular member I9 provides a trough directly beneath the evaporator coil l8 and has a drain opening or spout 80 in the rear of the storage compartment I l. The spaces between the receptacles 61 and 68 on one hand and the casings 13 and 14 and the sleeve 18 on the other hand are filled with suitable insulation material. It will be understood that the lower part of the cooling coil I8 is in thermal contact with the receptacles 61 and 68 forming the freezing compartments and also with the annular casing or sleeve 18 on the inside of the coil IS. The outer casings l3 and 14, provided with the heat transfer fins 16 and 11, are in thermal contact with the upper turn [8b of the cooling coil, which is at a higher temperature than the lower part. The reason for this is that hydrogen fiows upwardly through the cooling coil 18, and the partial pressure of ammonia is greater in the upper part of the coil than in the lower part of the coil, wherefore the ammonia evaporates at a higher temperature in the upper part of the coil.

It will be understood that the cooling element structure just described may be mounted on a removable insulated wall section or closure member 8| which fits into a window or opening in the rear wall of the thermally insulated storage compartment II, as may be seen in Figs. 4 and 9. Thus, the cooling element maybe removably assembled and disassembled as a unit with the refrigeration apparatus, the cooling element being inserted and withdrawn through the wall opening into which the closure member 8| fits when the apparatus is assembled in the refrigerator.

Referring now to Fig, 6, the direction of air flow in the storage compartment II is indicated by arrows. Air flows upwardly at each side of the refrigerator compartment, up behind the shield plate 64, across the upper part ofthe casings I3 and Min contact with the fins 16 and I1, and thence downwardly through the opening 15 in the center of the lower part of the cooling coil I8. Air is caused to flow in this direction for the reason that the sleeve 18 on the inside of the cooling coil I8 is at a lower temperature than the other cooling surfaces of the cooling element contacted by the air, wherefore air moves downwardly within the sleeve 18.

When frost is melted from the cooling element,

, the drip is collected in the trough I9 and discharged in the rear of the storage compartment The horizontal portion of the generator l4 and the liquid heat exchanger 22 in the lower part of the insulation casing 55 are located in the lower apparatus compartment 56, so that the burner 21 is at the front of the refrigerator cabinet l0 and receives air for combustion through louvres 84. The other parts of the apparatus are arranged in the rear upright apparatus compartment 51. erably recessed in the insulation 63 of the storage compartment wall.

refrigerator I0 isprovided with an opening or ing 6| in the top of the refrigerator.

lattice-work 85 directly opposite the absorber cooling condenser 26. Air flows through the latticework 85, upwardly over the condenser 26, upwardly through the upper part of the apparatus compartment 51, and out through the open- This upward flow of air in the upper part of the apparatus compartment 51 aids in. cooling the section Ila of the condenser by inducing, a greater flow of air through the opening 60 and upwardly over the condenser section Ila.

It will be understood that other changes may be made within the scope of the invention which i not limited except as indicated in the follow ing claims.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a refrigerator, a cooling element comprising a high temperature section and a low temperature section, said low temperature section including freezing compartments and forming a vertical passage for flow of air, thermal insulation around said low temperature section except adjacent said passage, and an outer thermal conductive casing thermally associated with said high temperature section.

2. In a refrigerator, a cooling element comprising a high temperature section and a low tempertaure section, said low temperature section including freezing compartments and forming a vertical passage for flow of air, thermal insulation around said low temperature section except adjacent said passage, and an outer thermal conductive casing thermally associated with said high temperture section, the upper surface H by way of the spout 80, into any suitable vesselplaced beneath the spout.

Referring to Fig. 9, a suitable lamp 83, such as an electric light bulb connected, as known, to be lighted when the door I2 is open, is located in the top of the storage compartment ll, behind the shield plate 64, and above the central opening 15 in the center of the cooling coil H3. The light is directed downwardly through the central opening 15 into the refrigerator storage compartment therebelow, whereby light is available while its source is concealed.

The other parts of the refrigeration apparatus are located in the apparatus compartmeats 56 and 51, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

' of said casing sloping toward said passage an having heat transfer fins.

3. In a refrigerator a cooling element having a high temperature section and a lower temperature section and forming a vertical passage therethrough for flow of air, said lower temperature section being adapted to receive ice freezing trays, and thermal insulation around said lower temperture section except adjacent said passage.

4. In a refrigerator having a thermally insulated storage compartment a cooling element having a vertical passage therethrough for fiow of air, at least one section of said cooling element being adapted to receive ice freezing trays on opposite sides of said passage, and thermal insulation around said section except adjacent said passage, said cooling element being positioned substantially centrally in the upper part of said storage compartment so that air may flow up ward on the outside of said cooling element anddownward through said passage.

EUGENE L. SCHEILENS. WILLIAM I. HAMBY.

The gas heat exchanger 20 is pref- The rear wall of the. 

